Developing Gross Motor Skills for Individuals with Disabilities

We often think of gross motor skills as activities like jumping, catching a ball, or waving our arms. But did you know that these are also the skills that allow us to get in and out of a car, do our laundry, or even stand? In actuality, these daily activities have their foundation in a complex interaction between our brain and body.

As ALSO Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), we’re extremely knowledgeable about the important role that gross motor skills play in living an independent, satisfying, and full life. Similarly, we’re very well-trained at helping those we support with intellectual and developmental disabilities to compensate for and improve their gross motor abilities.

What are Gross Motor Skills?

Gross motor skills¹ are those skills we use to control our large muscle groups, generally in our legs, arms, and torso (the trunk). Without gross motor skills, we wouldn’t even be able to maintain our balance. The word ‘gross’ actually means large, and ‘motor’ is another word for movement. These skills depend on proper coordination of the following:

• Skeletal muscles
• Bones
• The brain
• The nervous system²

Gross motor skills differ from fine motor skills³ in several ways:

• Gross motor: allows control of the large muscle groups in the arms, legs, and trunk that require strength, speed, and balance.
• Fine motor: allows control of the smaller muscles in our hands, feet, and face that require precision and targeted movement, such as handwriting, self-feeding, and typing.

That being said, it’s important to realize that fine motor skills are highly dependent on the development of gross motor skills. Everything works together!

How do People Develop Gross Motor Skills?

People embark on their gross motor development journey in the womb⁴ along with the development of the brain and spinal cord. The first physical movements are felt by mom, as the baby kicks and turns over.

Gross motor abilities in normal child development progress from head to toe.⁵ First, upper body muscle control develops, followed by lower body control. This means that babies will typically learn how to hold their head up first, followed by being able to sit up.

It’s almost like a series of building blocks, with one skill leading to the next. For example, infants will learn how to use their arms to pull themselves up, then stand without losing their balance, and then walk. As they progress in their physical activity level, they improve muscle strength, balance, and coordination, which in turn creates opportunities for more advanced motor abilities.

LEARN MORE: Benefits of Sensory Play for Children with Disabilities

Why are Gross Motor Skills Important?

Research indicates⁶   that motor competence creates multiple benefits. In infancy and early childhood, such skills are particularly important because they represent many developmental milestones that are the foundation for more advanced skills. For example, when infants learn to sit up, this allows them to remain stable while reaching for objects, so that they can work on finger dexterity and other fine motor skills. There is also research indicating a strong connection between motor activities and cognitive skills, benefiting both young and older children.

The healthy development of gross motor skills affects many aspects of a young person’s life. We all know the importance of sports participation for school-aged kids and teenagers. Additionally, participation in individual and group physical activity has a major positive impact on social skills, emotional development, and self-confidence.

Key Examples of Gross Motor Skill Difficulties in People with Disabilities

When a person is born with, or develops a disability, this can have a major effect on the normal development of gross motor skills. Check out these 5 examples:

1. Congenital Disorders:⁷  This includes Down’s Syndrome— a chromosomal abnormality that often leads to low muscle tone, which interferes with balance, coordination, and muscle strength.
2. Autism Spectrum Disorder:⁸  Many kids with this condition tend to walk on their toes. Although researchers are not sure why, it may be due to a sensory aversion to feeling their feet on the floor.
3. Cerebral Palsy (CP):⁹ People with CP experience a wide range of movement problems caused by spasticity (tight muscles) that interfere with coordination, balance, and a host of other motor abilities.
4. Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD):¹⁰ This is a neurological disorder in which, even though the muscular and skeletal system works fine, something in the brain doesn’t allow execution of gross motor movements. This is often called a motor planning deficit.
5. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI):¹¹  Individuals living with TBI since early childhood can experience a wide range of significant developmental delays in cognitive, motor, behavioral, and emotional skills.

How ALSO Supports Development and Improvement of Gross Motor Skills

In addition to dedication to the independence of people living with developmental and intellectual disabilities, ALSO DSPs add the following targeted expertise in gross motor skill improvement:

• Productive relationships with other healthcare providers, such as physical and occupational therapists.
• Strong advocacy for getting additional support, such as early intervention services and diagnostic tests.
• A stronger focus on what a person can do, as opposed to what they cannot do.
• Extensive expertise in assistive technology and life skills.

If you’re a person with a developmental or intellectual disability, or you know someone who is, we welcome you to learn more about us.

Sources:

1. Cleveland Clinic. Gross motor skills. Last reviewed October 18, 2023. Accessed July 23, 2024. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/gross-motor-skills
2. Ibid.
3. Drew, C.  50 gross motor skills: examples. Helpful Professor. June 5, 2023. Last expert reviewed October 27, 2023. Accessed July 23, 2024. https://helpfulprofessor.com/gross-motor-skills-examples/
4. Zero to three. May 24, 2014. When does the fetus’s brain begin to work? Accessed July 23, 2024. When Does the Fetus’s Brain Begin to Work? | ZERO TO THREE https://www.zerotothree.org/resource/when-does-the-fetuss-brain-begin-to-work/E
5. Parr, C. October 1, 2023. Gross motor development for infants and toddlers. NAPA. https://napacenter.org/gross-motor-development/
6. Hudson KN, Willoughby MT. The Multiple Benefits of Motor Competence Skills in Early Childhood. 2021 Aug. In: RTI Press Research Brief [Internet]. Research Triangle Park (NC): RTI Press; 2014-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK586143/ doi: 10.3768/rtipress.2021.rb.0027.2108
7. Little Feet Pediatric Therapy. Taking a look at gross motor skills. Accessed July 23, 2024. https://littlefeettherapy.com/taking-a-look-at-gross-motor-skills/
8. Little Feet Pediatric Therapy. Toe walking therapy. Accessed July 23, 2024. https://littlefeettherapy.com/specialties/toe-walkin
9. MacWilliams, B. A., Prasad, S., Shuckra, A. L., & Schwartz, M. H. (2022). Causal factors affecting gross motor function in children diagnosed with cerebral palsy. PloS one, 17(7), e0270121. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0270121  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9292109/
10. Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Kidsense. Accessed on July 23, 2024. https://childdevelopment.com.au/areas-of-concern/diagnoses/developmental-coordination-disorder-dcd/
11. Araki, T., Yokota, H., & Morita, A. (2017). Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: Characteristic Features, Diagnosis, and Management. Neurologia medico-chirurgica, 57(2), 82–93. https://doi.org/10.2176/nmc.ra.2016-0191 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5341344/pdf/nmc-57-0082.pdf